anew, he hastened to accomplish the conquest of Valencia; and
master of that strong city, with many others, and of a territory of
great extent, to make the Cid a monarch it was only necessary that he
himself should desire it. But the noble Spaniard never for a moment
indulged the wish, and ever continued the faithful subject of the
ungrateful and often-offending Alphonso.

This celebrated hero died at Valencia A.D. 1099, crowned with years and
honours. He had but one son, and of him he was early deprived by
death. The two daughters of the Cid espoused princes of the house of
Navarre; and, through a long succession of alliances, formed at length
the root whence is derived the present royal race of Bourbons.

C, page 92.

_More ferocious and sanguinary than the lions of their deserts, &c._

The history of Africa, during the period referred to in the text, is
but a narrative of one continued succession of the most atrocious
murders. Were we to judge of humanity by these sanguinary annals, we
should be tempted to believe, that, of all ferocious animals, man is
the most bloodthirsty and cruel.

Amid the multitude of these African tyrants, there was one, of the race
of the _Aglhebites_, named _Abon Ishak_, who was particularly
distinguished for the demoniac barbarity of his character. Having
butchered eight of his brothers, he next indulged his horrid thirst for
blood in the sacrifice of his own offspring. The mother of this
monster succeeded with difficulty in preserving from his fury a part of
his family. One {219} day, while dining with Ishak, upon his
expressing some feeling of momentary regret that he had no more
children, his mother tremblingly ventured to confess that she had
preserved the lives of six of his daughters. The sanguinary wretch
appeared softened, and expressed a desire to see them. When they were
summoned to his presence, their youth and loveliness touched the
ferocious father; and while Ishak lavished caresses upon his innocent
children, his mother retired, with tears of joy, to render thanks to
Heaven for this apparent change in the temper of her son. An hour
afterward, a eunuch brought her, by order of the emperor, the heads of
the young princesses.

It would be easy to cite other parallel deeds, attested by historians,
which were perpetrated by this execrable monster. Suffice it to say,
he escaped the violent death due to such a life, and long maintained
his hateful rule.

Time